position to give much attention to the claims of these early friendships.

We honor David, therefore, the more for making himself an exception to the general course of human practice. In the height of his prosperity, he thought of Jonathan, his early and devoted friend; and the recollection did more than merely draw out the exclamation, "Alas! my brother!" It led him also to ask, "Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake ?"

Perhaps most of you have read a beautiful illustration of this spirit, which went the rounds of the papers at the time of its occurrence in one of our principal cities. The story is briefly this: A young married couple, at the time they commenced house-keeping, found themselves in want of six chairs, which they had neither money nor credit enough to obtain. A widow in the neighborhood, and in easy circumstances, and given to acts of kindness to the poor, by some means learned what was wanted, and supplied the deficiency. Time went on, and changed their relative positions; the widow became poor, and the young married couple whom she had befriended became rich: and yet for some time, and from an unknown source, all her necessities were supplied. When at length the name of her benefactor became known, and a general wonder expressed in view of such unusual liberality, he replied, that there was no cause for wonder, as he was only paying to the excellent widow the interest due on the six chairs!

Let every one go and do likewise, and much of the suffering of this suffering world would come to an end; and the chain of friendship would be kept bright and strong, binding neighborhoods and communities together in the bonds of brotherly love.

5. In the facts alluded to in this chapter, we see a remarkable interposition of Providence in behalf of the fatherless and afflicted.

Jonathan, it will be remembered, was slain before he reached the prime of his life. He left a son by the name of Mephibosheth, unable to take care of himself; for he was lame on both his feet. It was doubtless true, also, that, in the downfall of Saul's house, his property went down with him. But where, amidst all this confusion, do we find Mephibosheth, fatherless and lame, and probably without such an order of intellect as to command general respect? He was first taken up by Machir, who afterwards became a very useful friend to David-a man, little known on earth but (if I have read his character aright), honored in heaven; he took the poor boy, and showed him the kindness of a father. But as if this were not enough to illustrate the interest which God feels in behalf of the fatherless and afflicted, he also touched the heart of David, and thus this child of misfortune was introduced into the palace, and invited to eat meat during the rest of his life at the king's table.

But all this is just what we should expect in sight of such passages as the following in the word of God: "Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry."Ex. xxii. 22.

God also styles himself the keeper and the father of the fatherless. Hence he says, "Leave thy fatherless children with me; I will save them alive." To oppress the fatherless, he regards as a serious crime; and to visit them in their affliction is set down as one of the proofs of pure and undefiled religion in the heart.

Now in the light of these statements we see why it is that orphan children are so much better provided for than appearances at first led us to anticipate. Several times in the course of my ministry, have I been called to attend the funeral of the only remaining parent of several children, left entirely destitute of the means of support, and have wondered in common with others, who saw their destitution, how they would be able to make headway in the world. And yet in every instance the needed friends were raised up for their support, and the orphan's tears were soon dried by the sweet voices of efficient sympathy. Yes, "a father of the fatherless, and a judge of widows, is God in his holy habitation."-Ps. lxviii. 5.

6. We notice also the advantage attending a pious ancestry. There was nothing, so far as appears, either in the mind or heart of Mephibosheth to justify the attention and kindness which he received; but in Jonathan, his father, there was: and for the father's sake, a worthless, graceless son is often kindly remembered, when otherwise he would be left to perish in his own corruptions. There is a principle, underlying this subject, to which it becomes us to give earnest heed, and which is thus set down in the divine testimony. "The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness upon children's children to such as keep his covenant." And this Jonathan appears to have done with heartiness and zeal and hence the mercy of the Lord made a large provision for the wants of Mephibosheth. We are assured also that "a good man leaveth an inheritance to children's children," consisting not in the treasures of the earth, nor a name, associated with mere worldly greatness; for Saul had both these; but they passed away, leaving his children none the better for them; but it consists in an interest in the covenanted favor of God. If we believe in the reality of that everlasting covenant which is well ordered in all things, and sure, into which God enters with believers, promising to be a God to them, and to their seed after them, we shall not doubt that it is in this channel that his mercy flows in its richest forms. This channel of grace and glory was opened in the time of Abraham, who was constituted the father of all them that believe, and the fountain of influences, which

are yet to refresh all the habitations of men. "In thee and in thy seed," so the promise runs, "shall all the families of the earth be blessed."

Yet, in many minds, there is a lurking scepticism in relation to this whole matter, because many a good man's son has failed to receive the renewing grace of God. Esau, it is thought, was no better for having been a child of the covenant. Eli's sons made themselves none the less vile for having had a godly father. Nor did all David's children, "the man after God's own heart," inherit his spirit and his destiny. And many ask, therefore, what advantage, in respect to gaining the favor of God, hath the Jew over the Greek? What superior blessing is in store for the child of a pious father, that may not also reach the descendant of the vilest man?

Now I do not wonder at these and similar questions, and yet my confidence in the fact, that blessings descend to children's children on account of the ancestor's piety and prayers, remains unshaken. I can account for many failures in this regard, with which I am acquainted, without at all impeaching the faithfulness of God to his covenant. "Eli's sons made themselves vile because he restrained them not. The parent may be pious, and yet fail to train his child in the way he should go. The blessings of the covenant are promised only to such as faithfully regard its provisions. Doing this, they always find it the channel through which divine goodness flows in all its fullness to the souls of children's children. All this I see clearly, and my impressions of its truth are deepening from year to year. I am sure that Mephibosheth would not have been cared for as he was, if his father had been a son of Belial. I am confident that, as time goes on, and the divine plans approach their consummation, all will have deeper convictions on this subject than are now commonly entertained, because then God's ancient covenant people will stand before the world in a new and attractive light. It will be seen, that in the ages gone by, they were not forgotten; that they were still beloved, for their great father's sake.

And we observe even now, that those who study this subject most deeply, and most devoutly watch the developments of God's providence in relation to the seed of the righteous, are gaining convictions of the value of this relationship of the most impressive character. Yes, the good man does indeed leave an inheritance to his children's children. When he is dead, his influence lives his prayers are a legacy of more value than all the gems of every earthly mine-than all the pearls in every ocean cave. And hence our conclusion should be, that the best thing we can do for our dear children is, first of all, cordially to join ourselves to the Lord in a new and everlasting covenant, and then, with an earnest faith in the Mediator, to have the seal of this covenant applied to them. Let this be done with a right spirit,

and with a life influenced by its responsibilities, then we may hope that "our sons will be as plants grown up in their youth, and that our daughters will be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace."

I have now completed the trains of thought most obviously suggested by the reading of this chapter. These thoughts, though apparently diverse in their bearings from each other, are yet in their combination in real life essential to completeness of character. We are never safe; nor can we reach and hold the highest earthly prosperity, till we rejoice most of all in the perfect and all-pervading government of God. This, Saul failing to do, soon lost his balance of mind, and fell to rise no more; but in the divine government, David, from his early youth to old age, ever took a supremely complacent interest; and under its influence, he not only went safely up to a throne, but formed a character of singular excellence; magnanimous in forgiving injuries; steadfast and self-sacrificing in his friendships; patriotic as a citizen, and a man after God's own heart.

Under the nurture of the same principles, may it be our purpose, my hearers, to live, and form our characters for the final judgment. Then shall we be considerate, humble, prayerful, and safe. Our pathway through life will be made luminous and attractive by many a deed of self-denial, adding to the amount of human bliss, and illustrating the excellence of the gospel of the grace of God: and our setting sun will shine out brightly at the last, prophetic of the glorious day that is to follow-the day of complete emancipation from the law of sin and death, and of endless life, and health, and beauty to the soul.

SERMON DCLXXXIV.

BY REV. T. S. CLARKE,

FRANKLIN, N. Y.

FRETTING: ITS NATURE, ITS CAUSES, ITS EVILS, AND ITS CURE. "Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil."-Ps. xxxvii. 8.

THE idea is, that we shall certainly do evil if we fret;-evil to ourselves, as thus an originally bad temper is made worse-and evil to others, as the certain effect is to produce in them uneasiness and distrust. Fretting puts a man upon a very unquiet sea; or rather it is the wind, which disturbs the great ocean of

life, rendering its navigation difficult, and, by the hurry and confusion it creates, making the condition of our fellow-passengers exceedingly uncomfortable.

I think no apology is due for treating of a topic so unusual; for it relates to an evil of which but few, if any, are entirely free -which, in its ordinary exhibitions, greatly disturbs the happy intercourse of society, and is no doubt offensive to God. I think therefore you will all agree with me in saying, that it is a fit subject for the pulpit; and that if it be set forth in its true light and with a proper spirit, it can hardly fail to awaken such consideration in the premises as will lead us to greater self-improve

ment.

Besides, we are to remember, that religion has the promise of the life that now is; that it concerns itself with the various tempers of the mind, and all the exhibitions of conduct in every relation of life, and all for the purpose of exterminating what is wrong in the heart, and of fostering whatsoever things are just, and pure, and lovely, and of good report in the whole catalogue of the virtues.

Satisfied then that we are not travelling out of the record in the train of thought we propose to pursue, let us proceed to consider, as well as we can, THE NATURE, THE CAUSES, THE EVILS, and THE CURE of Fretting.

I. The Nature.

Fretting is a word which seems to convey a good deal of its sense by its sound. The very word grates harshly on the ear, giving the impression of a painful jar somewhere-of a rubbing and friction, which wear out and destroy the parts which come in contact, instead of polishing and fitting them to do better service.

But whether the sound of the word gives us any portion of its sense or not, it is certain that we all have gained a distinct conception of its meaning from that clearest of all interpreters-our own experience. We all probably know what it is to fret better than any one can tell us, and better than the best definition of it which we ourselves can frame. That perturbation of mind, caused by the conflict of anger, or jealousy, or envy, or ambition, with the calm voice of reason and conscience, and the general good, we have all doubtless not unfrequently felt. Out of this state of mind grows that crabbed and bitter fruit which bears the appropriate name of fretfulness. It is that ill-humor of the mind which, when it becomes a habit, constitutes the peevish man-one who is out of sorts with everything and everybody, to whose jaundiced eye the world appears to be hung all round with sackcloth, and to be in every part sadly and irretrievably out of joint.

The human mind, like a musical instrument, is exceedingly apt, in this disordered world, to get out of tune: then, however deli